Oasis Workshop for People with Special Needs

Oasis Workshop for People with Special Needs, Beit Sahour was founded in 1998 under the Health Work Committees, was the first Palestinian workshop providing an opportunity for adults with special needs to be given vocational training, engage in meaningful work and retain dignity. A social worker visits families to support them.

Three employees help 15-20 workers, aged from 18 to 45 years, to produce attractive recycled paper items – also a first for Palestine. Candles and other products, such as babies’ screen printed body warmers, have been developed.

There is no funding from the Palestinian Authority. Our grants have enabled the purchase of a paper mixing and heavy card cutting machine in 2010 and in 2016 a computer. A guest of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum and Palcrafts, Mrs. Lousi AlBadawi, an employee, came to Scotland in 2017 for the 2-week Fair Trade Fortnight. She addressed several schools and fair trade groups, gaining confidence and gave illustrated talks about the situation in Occupied Palestine for people with disabilities. As a result of these personal contacts, extra donations to Oasis have been granted